All Chapters of Two Brothers. One Ruin.: Chapter 61 - Chapter 70

When the next set steps out, it clicks. Women. They move in one by one—hips swaying, smiles practiced, draped in delicate, colorful lingerie like they’re walking a runway instead of… whatever the hell this is. They line up beside the stage, poised, waiting. And just like that—I get my answer. My breath stalls. “Now, the contracted selections,” the woman announces, her smile never wavering. “Viola, twenty-three.” What the actual hell— The first woman steps up, climbing onto the stage. She turns, poses, shifts under the light alluring movements, displaying herself from every angle almost eager. Like she’s done this before. Like she knows exactly what she’s doing. Or she’s doing exactly whatever was dictated to her. Either way, there’s no hesitation. No visible reluctance. My hands start to shake. So this is it. This is the world Julian warned me about. This is the world Shaun had built around himself. Why am I even surprised? What else would a psychopathic murderer surroun

I glance at him. There’s a faint smear of my lipstick on his mouth. I reach for a napkin, lean in without asking, and wipe it away gently. His eyes track my movement, then lift to mine—unreadable as ever. Closed off just enough to keep me guessing. When I’m done, he doesn’t pull away. Instead, he catches my hand, turning it slightly before pressing a kiss against my skin. Soft. Deliberate. Public. God. We really do look like the perfect fucking couple. The auction moves on, cycling through item after item, until it lands on a necklace. Pink diamonds. The pendant alone catches the light like it’s alive, every facet sharp, expensive in a way that feels almost unreal. The starting bid is eight million. Beside me, Shaun lifts his paddle without hesitation. Oh. So that’s why we’re here. Figures. The bidding climbs fast—ten million, twelve, fifteen—other bidders dropping out one by one until it’s just Shaun. But he doesn’t waver, his paddle cutting through the air like a blade. H

Liana “Well,” Amber leans back into the couch, that sickly-sweet smile settling on her lips, “how’s married life treating you?” God, out of all the Stones, she’s the worst. Still—I match her. Smile for smile. “Amazing,” I say lightly. “Shaun really doesn’t hold back.” I cross one leg over the other, casual, deliberate. “Just the other day he gave me this necklace—one of a kind. Literally.” Her brow lifts, slow and pointed. “Oh? I thought it’d take a little more than that for you to get over Julian.” She winks. “Guess they’re right—diamonds really are a girl’s best friend.” Bitch. Couldn’t even pretend for five seconds. “Not that I’m one to judge,” she goes on, all fake innocence. “Hell, I’d fold for jewelry, too. And to be honest… I’m kind of relieved.” I hold the smile in place—just barely. “Didn’t realize you were so invested in your brother’s relationships.” She shifts, that self-righteous look settling in. “Of course I am,” she says smoothly. “Even though I’m not te

I keep myself occupied with Ava and Nicole, letting their conversation fill the space in my head so I don’t have to think about anything else. Two hours later, he comes back. Without his shirt. I don’t even want to think about why. He heads straight upstairs, changes into a clean one, and comes back down like nothing happened. Like there isn’t blood under his nails, like there isn’t a man somewhere probably dead by now. There’s nothing on his face. Not a trace. We have dinner. And then we leave—head back to his estate like it was just another night. Now I’m in my bed. Rolling over. Again. And again. Sleep won’t come. Not even close. Another man is dead. Killed by Shaun. I didn’t know him—I didn’t even see his face clearly—but it doesn’t matter. I can’t stop it. The weight of it sits heavy in my chest, because I know… no one’s going to hear about him. Not anytime soon. I push the covers off, frustrated, restless, and get out of bed. The house is quiet as I step into the hallwa

Julian“You’re not good enough for my daughter. Did you really think you could build the kind of life she deserves with a mechanic’s paycheck?”The words reverberate through my head as I stare out the window of my penthouse, the city sprawling beneath me in endless veins of light.Sharp words. Cruel words. And maybe the worst part is that somewhere along the line, they stopped feeling entirely false. They’re the reason I went back.Back to him. Back to the father I’d spent years trying to leave behind. I came back believing I could have both worlds in my hands at once. Believing I could carve out enough power, enough money, enough worth to stand beside Liana without feeling like I was dragging her down with me. Believing that if I built enough—became enough—maybe I’d finally deserve her.But the deeper I sank into this life, the more brutally clear it became—no one gets to have everything. Not in this world. Not people like us. And by the time I realized that, there was no road left l